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| (C) 2018 Dale DiMauro |
Since the last post I did some more work on this picture. How to approach the trees in the foreground on the left was the one truly challenging area. I like how the sky can be seen through the trees yet it can make them look hollow. I do lean towards the blue-green coloring in my evergreens which look good against the snow.
The snow had a little more work done to better develop the contours of the land. Recently, I have been adding red to my blue for the sky which offers greater variety and gives one the idea that the clouds have started to clear out.
As a side note, I will not have a post this Wednesday, which is unusual. I will be traveling to Washington D.C. and limited to what I can carry with me.
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| (C) 2018 Dale DiMauro |
These days I begin a studio painting with a specific approach. Lately, I tone the paper before I really start painting. In this watercolor which I am beginning to become excited about, a wet wash of cobalt blue was applied across the whole sheet. This way I can go cooler as needed for both the snow and sky. Yet, I can also introduce some warm color, in the sun, for example, if needed.
What attracted me to this scene is how the shadows draw the viewer right into the picture with such a rich blue. The other appealing quality is the shrubby undergrowth on the left in contrast to the blue-green evergreen massing.
I was looking to perhaps finish this painting today. However, the weather was so uncharacteristically mild that I had to get outside. Actually, I did paint a plein air while I was in Keene in the afternoon.
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| (C) 2018 Dale DiMauro |
This watercolor pretty much describes what the winter was like in early January, at least in southern Vermont. A weather reporter in the New England area mentioned we had around twenty days of temperatures which did not go above freezing. The bitter cold and low sunlight comes across clear in this picture with many blues and grays from the palette.
However, I love to paint snow. The fresh blanket of snow gives the landscape a new perspective. Otherwise, the ground is dark in winter. I like the distant tangled shrub border with it's irregular massing adding an element of mystery.
I am increasingly intrigued by the atmospheric qualities one can convey in watercolor. Whether it is achieved through various techniques such as misting or the use of color, there is a rich variety of moods an artist can convey unlike any other medium.
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| (C) 2018 Dale DiMauro |
This figure has worked it's way into the painting of my last post. I have learned once a figure is in a picture they become the focal point. Thus, the figure needs to be depicted accurately. However, if set alone in the landscape the posture of an individual can speak volumes.
This winter I have learned much about the proportions of the human body so I can better sketch the figure, at any scale. There certainly is much to learn but I feel that progress is being made. I have even taken out my fountain pen which has not been in use for years. The idea is to take advantage of any chance I get to sketch the human anatomy.
There are certain landmarks of the human body which artists have used for centuries. For example, the pubic bone is considered the half way mark in the height of an individual. It is one thing to layout a drawing of the figure based on human anatomy but then to sketch them in winter clothing adds even more of a challenge.
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| (C) 2018 Dale DiMauro |
If watercolor is the medium for capturing atmospheric affects, I feel like this one has a good start. In this image I love the feel of fresh snow, strong shadows and the sense of crisp air.
This local field I like to walk through all times of the year. However, I added this figure to give the picture a sense of scale and a focal point. The snow in the foreground had all these marks in it including cross country ski marks
Applying cobalt and manganese blue for the snow in the shadows was fun.
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(C) 2018 Dale DiMauro
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This winter with the early extreme cold weather and the dwindling snow accumulations has left me less inspired to paint snow scenes. Not to mention all the ice underfoot.
As I walk into town I relish the fresh snow accumulations draped over the old homes and landscape in my neighborhood. The patterns of snow and late winter light really light a bulb in my imagination.
With this kind of winter I have chosen to improve my portrait studies and attain a greater knowledge of the proportions of the human figure. Many people have responded to my portrait studies which suggests they recognize the figure at hand. This drawing in my sketchbook, my wife recognized as a self-portrait even though only half the face is depicted. As a result, I am encouraged and inspired to make great progress in capturing the human body by spring.
However, I am looking forward to painting more landscapes. As a matter of fact I have ideas for some bigger paintings. When the weather becomes more agreeable I will be eager to paint outside again with some new gear I got at Christmas.
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| (C) 2018 Dale DiMauro |
Painting the mouth is a challenge. Even drawing the mouth can make one hesitant.
One of the questions an artist is confronted with is whether they want to draw attention to the mouth. However, much of our expression is communicated through the area of the mouth.
In the past I have been advised to keep the mouth simple by including a few of the more prominent teeth and playing up the dark corners which are usually in the shadows and reflect the dental arch.
This painting was toned with a mint green wash before I started the face, reflecting the leafy green canopy cast over the figure. This picture to date has been done in one sitting. Without the mouth completed it probably looks a bit cartoonish. In the process of finishing the face I think it will be best to slightly correct the angle of the mouth. What do you think?
For the past two weeks I have been reading this book, LEONARDO DA VINCI by Walter Isaacson, which has changed how I view the human face. Since I have not finished the book I do not want to comment on any juicy revelations as there may be significant developments unearthed, yet.
